BIO

CAREER: Played in 38 career games with 13 starts, for 1,155 plays, and also played in the 2002 Orange Bowl...Recorded 20 "Big Plays" (five TFL, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, 10 pass breakups and two interceptions)...

2003: Earned a scholarship at the end of preseason workouts and the starting corner job opposite Keiwan Ratliff...Started all 13 games as appeared in 951 plays...Was ranked fourth on the defense with 90 tackles...Also has five TFL, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups a forced fumble and a fumble recovery...Tied for third on the team with two interceptions and led the team with 11 pass breakups...Ranked fourth on the defense with 948 plays... Forced two turnovers that resulted in Gator touchdowns- an interception at Miami and an interception at Kentucky...Named SEC Defensive Player of the Week following his performance vs. Kentucky, including an interception in the final minutes that set up the winning touchdown in the come-from-behind win in Lexington...Recorded three tackles and two pass breakups vs. Arkansas...Ranked second on the team with 11 tackles versus Vanderbilt, also had four pass breakups...Led the defense vs. Ole Miss with 15 tackles, including nine solo stops, doubling his previous career-high... Ranked second on the team at No. 3 Miami with six tackles, including five solo hits, two pass breakups and an interception...Ranked first among defensive backs with 12 tackles versus FSU...Forced his first career fumble to seal the Gator win at eventual national champion LSU in the Tigers final drive of the game...Recorded his first interception at Miami off QB Brock Berlin that would set up a Gator touchdown in the third quarter...Ranked third among defensive backs vs. Tennessee, finishing with five tackles and a fumble recovery...Led the defense with six tackles, including four solo hits vs. SJSU in his first career start at corner...Named a UF game captain for the FAMU game...

2002: Listed as a backup at cornerback...Key member of the kick and punt coverage teams...Saw action in all 13 games for 136 plays...Led the team with 16 special teams tackles...Named Florida Special Teams Player of the Week after the Georgia game...Made two tackles on the season with one each vs. UAB and Ohio... Recovered a fumble on a kickoff against Tennessee ...Made a special teams tackle vs. Michigan in the Outback Bowl...Co-recipient of the most improved award in the spring of 2002...

2001: Defensive back who saw some action as a back-up at the cornerback position and on special teams... Played in all 11 regular season games, for 90 plays, and the 2002 Orange Bowl... Recorded 13 tackles and one "Big Play" (pass deflection)...

PREP: Attended Dillard High School...Visited Bryant College in Rhode Island but decided to walk-on at UF...High school coach was Ken Scott...

Father, Johnny Lamar, played football at Albany State College and brother Maurice Dix currently plays at Morris Brown College

Says people might be surprised to know that he doesn't talk a lot

Came to UF as a walk-on and earned a scholarship and starting cornerback spot in the preseason of his senior year.

Before deciding on Florida, Lamar visited Bryant College in Rhode Island. Eastern Illinois was willing to take a chance on him and Troy State offered him a combined football and track scholarship. Lamar has been talking with former Florida defensive coordinator Bob Stoops, however, when Stoops took the head coaching position at Oklahoma Lamar didn't hear much from Florida. In the end, Lamar made his decision to come to Florida based on the school's academics.

"After making the team, it's a whole lot of wok being able to get on the field and being able to show the coaches that you can play on this level. I went through a lot of trials and tribulations where I just kept my head up trying to show that I could compete." (August 28, 2003)
Johnny Lamar, UF Cornerback

"You can't take one day off. You can't even take one play off. You have to concentrate every rep you get." (August 28, 2003)
Johnny Lamar, UF Cornerback

"It took just knowing that I had the talent to play on the Division I level and I always wanted to go to a Division I school so I decided to come here and give it a chance. I knew that I'd probably sit out a couple of years but I knew that I'd learn from the upperclassmen. I knew I could play on this level. I wanted to show the coaches that I could play on this level and hopefully earn a scholarship, which actually came this year. It was a blessing. It feels real good for me. It shows that all of the hard work that I have put in is finally paying off. The new coaches have recognized the talent in me and given me a chance to play." (September 9, 2003)
Johnny Lamar, UF Cornerback

"I saw the play coming to me and as I was intercepting the ball and my movement of turning to head towards the end zone, I felt my legs cramp up. I eventually fell and I couldn't walk off the field. As I was telling my teammates (Guss Scott and Keiwan Ratliff) that I couldn't walk off, they said that they would carry me off. As they were carrying me off, I was just thinking of the teamwork and how we have all bonded as one, that they would do that for me. I felt really grateful for my teammates." (September 9, 2003)
Johnny Lamar, UF Cornerback

"The way Johnny has been playing has changed the way teams look at our defense. They were trying to go at him because he's a former walk-on, but he kept making plays. Now they just have to run their offense." (October 26,2003)
Keiwan Ratliff, UF cornerback

"I tell you, he played an unbelievable game [versus San Jose State], he really did. Here's a guy that walked on. I think the No. 1 thing it tells you, and we've said this all along, is that recruiting is not an exact science. Sometimes guys, not that they get overlooked, but guys mature differently." (September 2, 2003)
Joe Schad, Orlando Sentinel

"He's helped this team a lot in the past on special teams and last year he helped us as a substitution player. This year he's fighting for a starting spot. He'll definitely play on defense, whether it's as a starter or a sub or a guy we could put in there to get some play. He'll help us." (April 6, 2003)
Mike Woodford, Defensive Backs Coach

"Now, he feels like he can play with anybody and he knows we have confidence in him. Whenever a player knows his coaches have confidence in him, it raises their play because they want to live up to our expectations." (September 11, 2003)
Mike Woodford, Defensive Backs Coach

"These days, Lamar is drawing praise from all directions. Once a little-known walk-on, Lamar is now on scholarship, starting and making big plays in the Florida secondary. None have been bigger than his interception of Brock Berlin in the Orange Bowl. In just two games, Lamar has gone from walk-on to walking tall." (September 11, 2003)
Brandon Zimmerman, Gainesville Sun